The Amazing Trains of Germany

Mention travelling in Germany and most people will
think about tearing along the autobahns. But for the discerning
traveller who wishes to see the best of this diverse and beautiful
country - and to do so in a relaxed and comfortable manner - there
is no better way than by train.

The German rail system has long been noted for its efficiency
and a great deal of investment has been made into it. The pride of
the system is the ICE trains which made their debut in
1991. These operate between several major cities including
international destinations
in Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and
the Netherlands. The comfort and convenience of the ICE trains
is remarkable and they are fully air-conditioned and have an
impressively low noise level.

As well as the impressive, modern ICE, Germany also offers a
wide variety of historic railways:

Brocken Railway

In the depth of the Harz Mountains, a popular tourist region of
half-timbered villages, stunning peaks, undulating forests and
crystal clear lakes, runs the narrow-gauge, steam-hauled Brocken
Railway. The terrain here is ideally suited to a narrow-gauge
railway and the winding track connects the small towns and villages
of the Harz region, and is used by commuters, shoppers and school
children as well as by tourists. Here the inclines are steep and
the powerful engine strains to tackle the gradient on the way to
Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz region at over 3,700 feet
(1,128 metres). As might be imagined, the scenery and the views are
incomparable.

Selketal Railway

Still in the Harz Mountains, at Quedlingburg, a gorgeous town
with a delightful Romanesque church and well-preserved red-roofed
houses, where the 10th century stronghold of Burgberg looms
imposingly over the town, is another narrow-gauge railway
- the Selketal Railway - that runs through the Selke
Valley. This steam and diesel service winds through some of the
Harz Mountains' finest scenery.

Drachenfels Cog Railway

It isn't just mountainous areas that are served by wonderful and
historic railways. Along the Rhine there are several that are
justifiably popular with holidaymakers as they offer a unique and
leisurely way of seeing the winding rivers and fairytale castles
that prevail here.

The Drachenfels Cog Railway starts near the delightful
town of Königswinter and leads from the bottom of the valley, up
steep inclines and a height difference of 722 feet (220 metres), to
the Drachenfels (Dragon Rock) hill. At the top, an imposing ruined
castle of the same name overlooks the town and river.

Vulkan Express

From Brohl runs the Vulkan Express, although 'express' may
be a misnomer as the 11 mile (18 kilometre) journey up through the
Eifel range to Engeln takes one and a half hours and locomotives
reach the heady speed of 12 miles an hour. What it lacks in speed,
it more than makes up for in scenic splendour, passing by
fascinating slate and volcanic tuff rock formations and then across
the Brohl valley via a viaduct 120 metres long and 12 metres
high.

Kasbachtal Railway

The steepest railway incline in Germany is on
the Kasbachtal Railway as it runs from Linz-am-Rhein to
Kalenborn. This standard-gauge railway is hauled by a 1950s
Uerdinger Railbus engine along a 5.5 mile (8.9 kilometre) section
of track that has an overall height difference of 984 feet (300m).
It runs through a wonderfully wild landscape, climbing through
rugged hills that offer a magnificent view of the Rhine, then
passes ancient castle ruins and scattered villages before heading
into a densely-covered region of woodland.

Schwarzwaldbahn

For an almost fairytale experience, just imagine a lake in the
heart of the Black Forest. Here cuckoo clocks are made and, nearby,
a stunning waterfall - one of the highest in Germany - plunges over
500 feet in a series of frothing cascades.

This is Triberg and it is here that you can board
the Schwarzwaldbahn, or Black Forest Railway, which runs
between Offenburg and Singen. The line was constructed over this
challenging terrain between 1863 and 1873 and, even today, it is
hailed as a supreme feat of engineering. In places a height
difference of 650 metres had to be overcome and this was managed by
creating a series of loops, tunnels and viaducts. Travel on it and
you cannot be help but be impressed.

Still in the Black Forest region, those with a hankering for
steam travel will love the Sauschwänzlebahn Steam Railway,
known as the 'pigtail line' and one of the most unusual and
impressive stretches of railway in Germany, which twists and winds
through some of the Black Forest's most spectacular scenery to
Weizen, near the Swiss border.

Wherever you may wish to travel in Germany, from remote
countryside to bustling city, the train offers the perfect way to
do it - and Great Rail Journeys have the tours to take you where
you want to go.

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